The Avengers, Incubator's Rebellion
by Architectural Oshawott
Summary: Two Magical Girls. Two wishes. This is what it took to re-write the rules of the universe once more. With Incubators removed, Magical Girls and Boys are now free to choose their own destinies, but their existence has intrigued the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, who hope to replace members of the Avengers Initiative, but what dangers await, especially when Incubators refuse to adhere?
1. Chapter 1 - Explanation

**Ok, this was just an idea of mine, and I have no idea as to how attractive or viable it is to the reader, but this is my first crossover attempt, and I admit that there will be flaws. So please review and offer criticism, and to whether or not I should continue this story.  
Thank you very much.**

_'In order to begin this story, you have to know exactly what led to the chain of events which allows us to be who we are today._  
_We used to be trapped, caught in a never-winning existence between Magical Girls and Witches, with no hope of survival, only to become the very beings we sought to destroy. We were tricked, forced to carry out our reluctant, yet essential, task. Many of us throughout our time were lured with the promise of one wish, one that had no limits. What we had failed to discover, however, was that this wish would bring about a distortion among the natural scheme of things, one that could only be countered with a wish's polar opposite._

_A curse._

_We fought. We died. More took our place. The cycle never ended._  
_Until two Magical Girls made the wishes that distorted everything, that brought us to a still-imperfect, yet infinitely better place._

_Konami Desuki, who wished that Incubators would become compelled to chose both Boys and Girls when selecting people to sign contracts. Despite having almost no value to the Incubators, we were joined by their ranks, and for the past 20 years, our battle was eased, and the number of our kind dying in the line of battle declined drastically._

_Nokagi Ori, who wished that Humans and Incubators had never encountered one another, and could **never** encounter one another._  
_With this wish, the entire laws of the universe had been re-written once more, not seen since the attempts made by Homura Akemi and Madoka Kaname had been made._  
_Which created the here, the now._

_And the unknown...'_

* * *

New York City was pretty. The Skyscrapers surrounding me never ceased to impress, their glistening facades reflecting the early-morning sunshine, surrounding the City in an irrepressible glow. Far below, scores of vehicles made their way towards their destination, the people that occupied them resembling ants.  
I never appreciated the hectic lives the common man was forced to live by, to answer to an unappreciative Boss, to go home to an unappreciative Wife, to remain grounded, stuck in one place for any given length of time.  
Everyone was meant to be free. to be _alive!_

It was going to be a long day, and I took the chance, leaping into the air, diving towards the crowd of people below.  
My soulgem began to glow, burning with a seductive Black sheen, before the scenario that faced me disappeared.  
Replaced with the Great Wall of China.  
Teleportation had it's uses, freeing me from a lifetime of tyranny, held together in a single place.

But it never allowed me to discover who my Parents were.  
_That _was the sole responsibility of Kazumi Kaname.

'_When a couple are expecting twins, yet one of them dies during stillbirth, their soul becomes re-incarnated into a soulgem, taking the form of their twin. It is up to another Magical Boy or Girl to find you, and to raise you, as we exist on a plane that should not have been able to sustain life, and we are invisible to their eyes.'_

It hurt, unable to interact with anyone. Unable to talk, to move, to touch, to hug, to kiss...  
This was becoming too much, my thoughts had always followed the same road, no matter which direction I chose to take. Kazumi was dead, how that happened remained a mystery. There had been a vast number of Magical Boys and Girls who had lived in their hundreds, perhaps even more. It increasingly became apparent that unless Blade or Poison took them, we would remain immortal.  
Which made Kazumi's death altogether more suspicious.  
No one was around to obstruct the beautiful scenery, and I wasted no time taking full advantage, landing eloquently on the edge of it's walls, my legs crossed in a meditative stance. It had been 23 years since I was 'born', and throughout my entire life, I had come across every piece of man-made phenomenons, from here, to the Taj Mahel, to the Leaning Tower of Piza, to the Pyramids. All constructed by Men, by mortals, ones that would disappear, never to be seen again.  
What a waste. Why couldn't everyone live the same life expectancy?  
Time differences had always posed a challenge to me, and while the sun was only just beginning to rise in New York, here it was beginning it's slow descent towards the horizon, bathing my view in outbursts of Orange. There was so much to do, so much to see, so much to _live, _and yet, the lack of interaction with them...

"Why so depressed?"

Of course _she _would be here.

"I'm not. I just needed to get away from it all."

"_That's _what you tell me whenever I find you. No matter which way you look at it, I think you need to find a new hobby!"

"Well how about you suggest something to me, oh wise and powerful Mitoku, because I can't seem to decide."

My only friend possessed a curious way of finding me, and it was more than just her intuition that led her here. While I majored in teleportation, the Magical Girl standing before me was able to hunt down whoever she cared to mention, that person replacing gravity as the sole force holding her down, pulling her towards them.  
At least, that's what she told me.

"How did you know I was going to be here? I wouldn't like to believe you somehow managed to leap from Japan to China in the blink of an eye, unless there is something you are omitting from me?"

"Oh of course not, I just had a funny feeling you would be here, call it my gut instinct."

So Mitoku could find me, travelling towards a destination I had never even thought of yet? No matter which way I looked at it, _that _was scary!

"So tell me, just why do I find myself in your presence once more? I would like to be _alone, _from time to time as well."

I guess that was unfair, shunning my only companion like this. Mitoku and I grew up together on the outskirts of Oshawa, and our childhoods were spend exploring every square inch of the region, playing pranks on unsuspecting passers-by, playing City-wide Hide and Seek, confiding in every dark secret we chose to become burdened by. Mitoku, more than anything else, was my rock, the only person that kept me from the edges of despair.  
But Kazumi's passing, the Magical Girl that effectively took us under her wing, introduced a dent in our friendship, though I understood that it was not her fault. It was difficult, but whenever I saw her face, it instantly reminded me of the pouring rain, our beloved City no longer filling me with elation and ease, Mitoku crying across Kaname's body.

Things just never stayed the same, after that.

"I came here because I have news, and it's news that you might want to hear."

"I'm not in the mood for _news_ right now."

"Henry!"

Mitoku reserved her bouts of anger for only the most urgent of emergencies. It had only occurred once before...

"Ok then, what is this 'news' that you so desperately need to tell me?"

"I came across a Man on my way to see you. He wouldn't tell me his name, but he said he knew everything. About us, about who we are, and about-"

"_Wait! _You mean...someone actually _spoke_ to you? One of the normal people? They can't _see _us, Mitoku! Only _we _can see each other!"

"Well this person could! And he told us that we would have to meet him, so he could explain to us just what happened to Kazumi!"

I froze, unable to comprehend what she had just spoke.

"You..._promised _not to bring that up again."

Unwillingly, tears began to flow down my face, aided by gravity, sliding delicately off my cheeks. The setting sun was now beginning to submerge into nothing, the horizon beyond eating into it's form with relentless greed, robbing us of the last remaining traces of sunlight. With our faded illumination, Mitoku appeared even more fragile than normal, her Pink hair refusing to reflect it's rays properly, leaving a curious matte-texture.

"He knows what happened. He can tell us who did this. We can take down whoever hurt her, Henry!"

Without any time to pass by, Mitoku summoned an enormous scythe, glistening seductively in the setting sunlight, it's elaborately-curved tip promising nothing but menace. She brought the weapon to bear, stroking it with all the affection as a Mother and her child.  
Even now, I couldn't explain to myself as to how we ended up with the ability to summon weapons at will, Mitoku's effortless display simply driving this fact home. True, they would become extremely useful if one so chose to use them in conflict, but what was the point? Beyond all this, this predicament of ours was becoming more and more suspicious by the second. A light breeze interrupted my thoughts, chilling me to the core.  
I wanted more than anything to communicate with someone else. To speak to someone who could see me...

"Where did he ask you to meet him?"

"Vanderbilt Avenue, why?"

I knew the location very well. Vanderbilt Avenue runs northeast-southwest through East Shore. It is approximately a mile long and serves the neighborhoods of Clifton, Stapleton Heights, Concord, and Grymes Hill. The northeast end is on Bay Street, west of Clifton of the Staten Island Railway and east of Bayley Seton Hospital.  
Along with parts of Richmond Road and all of Amboy Road, Vanderbilt Avenue forms the first leg of Staten Island's colonial-era eastern corridor that predates the newer, straighter, and wider Hylan Boulevard. Other roads that fork off of this corridor were St. Paul's Avenue, Van Duzer Street, Targee Street, Rockland Avenue, Bloomingdale Road, and Richmond Valley Road.

I knew all of this because this was where I had taken up residence in recent years, allowing my invisibility to take hold of me. I knew every nook and cranny the Avenue had to offer, but I also knew that there was not a lot of meeting places for us to come into contact with our new 'acquaintance'. There _was _one place, however, that served to be the only half-decent building we could meet in.

"You know where he is now?" I asked, relying on the Magical Girl's deceptively powerful ability to take hold. Immediately, her soulgem began to shine in illustrious shades of Pink, before fading abruptly, it's purpose fulfilled.

"I can _feel _him, I'll have to get much closer to him before I can pin-point his _precise _location, though."

"Leave it to me."

I charged, dashing towards Mitoku as quickly as I could, catching her completely off-guard. I wrapped myself around her, _just _as I allowed my soulgem to shine, the coarse of power flowing through my veins. As soon as I caught a hold of the Magical Girl, we were gone.

* * *

'You really think they're going to arrive here?'

_'They will. I promise.'_

'Curious. You say that these People constitute an entirely unique race all on their own? What makes you say that?'

Natasha Romanoff stalked within the brisk morning air, refusing to allow it to distract her from her duty. The cold numbed her resentment, kept her alert. What she was hearing was beginning to prove too good to be true, at least, from her point of view.  
An invisible race, characterized by the unusual 'Gems' that they each possessed, with abilities even a seasoned spy such as herself had trouble believing. If preliminary reports were to be believed, then each and every one of them could summon an innumerable array of phantom weaponry, alongside _secondary _powers, to top it off! They bore a similarity to the Asgardians, in a way. A unique branch of Humans, evolved and developed far beyond Earth's limitations, they're royalty depicted as nothing less than Gods.

'_You've already seen the reports, Natasha. There is not much more I can tell you, only that you will believe each and every letter you have read when you see them for yourself.'_

_'_And how am I supposed to _see _them, if the same reports depict them as an _invisible _race?'

'_You will. I promise. I gave them the location where they are to meet you. All you have to do is persuade them to join our cause. They could be invaluable, but we need to explain that we want to work alongside them, not use them.'_

_'_And which excuse is the truth?'

Nick was a seasoned veteran among the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, his past a mystery even to her, and this was not the first time she believed that there was something he was omitting from telling her. He would use the magic words such as 'Classified' and 'Clearance', but Romanoff knew that these were only barriers, not unlike the intention of using nuclear weaponry, uncovered by Tony Stark.

'_We need more People to join the Avengers initiative. We cannot rely on Thor and the Asgardians to aid us when the Earth is in danger. Tony Stark has abandoned his construction of Power Suits. We are currently in a vulnerable position, and I would rather lie to these people, to tell us how much more of their kind exists, than to scare them off, now make this happen.'_

_'_Whatever you say, Sir.'

The location was...sparse, to say the least. The current economic recession that had gripped America featured prominently along the streets, numerous empty or vacated premises littering the area.  
A pity.  
Other than this Avenue's name, there was no other clues as to where her 'visitors' would arrive, and Romanoff debated whether to hold her position, to wait for a sign of their arrival, or to break rank, to make her way towards the most likely location they would arrive in.  
Up until the point where an enormous flash emanated from nowhere, extracting the two Teenagers she was looking for, landing directly at her feet.  
Shock soon gave way to adrenaline, before a lifetime of training kicked in. Natasha suppressed her surprise, maintaining her calm facade.  
There, around each of their necks, layed minuscule gems, shining in the polar opposites of vibrant Pink and mysterious Black. It came as a surprise that both the Boy and Girl resembled nothing more than High-School Kids, one of Asian nationality, the other, curiously American.  
But there was no time to pleasantries now, only action.

"Hello, I am Natasha Romanoff, please follow me. There is much to discuss.


	2. Chapter 2 - Lack of Recruitment

I knew the Park Avenue Viaduct well. I had traveled here whenever I grew tired, or simply when I became bored of my travels. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983, and I secretly hoped that no one would dare tear it apart. It was not particularly important in any way, yet the views it offered painted a calm picture. The woman who approached us, Natasha, knew full well where she was going. Her body language was clear, concise, confident. The Woman had somewhere to be, which indirectly meant _we _had somewhere to be, as well. Mitoku brushed aside a lone strand of hair, placing it behind her ear. Her eyes gave away her emotion, however.

"You think...this is such a good idea?" she asked timidly, dropping her voice to a whisper. Natasha was a good ten paces ahead of us, and if she had heard my friend's remark, she showed no sign of it.

"Wait, you're not having second thoughts now, huh? It was _you _who told me that this could benefit us, after all! What's making you doubt all of this now?"

"...She was not the person I was tracking down. It was someone else, Henry."

"Maybe she is leading us towards him. Let's give this time."

"But what if she's not?"

The Grand Central Terminal opposed us, growing larger with every individual step towards it's facade. Natasha refused to slow her pace, and we were soon forced to jog in order to keep up. All around us, people turned to stare at our beautiful escort, obviously picking up on the determination and grace she had effortlessly displayed at her ease, her Red hair glistening against the sunlight. Rush hour traffic moved backwards and forwards, the vehicle's occupants displaying mixtures of shock, grief, and utter frustration towards the impossibly large length of traffic, both in front of, and behind them.

"You said there was 'much to discuss'." I finally stated, hoping to catch Romanoff's attention. "Yet my friend here was looking for someone else, and yet you had intercepted us. Can you tell us where we are going?"

"He knows about you, _and _your race. He has instructed me to escort you safely to his current location. I promise, everything will be explained clearly in due time."

"Why do you need to _escort _us? We're practically invisible here! The only people that had managed to see us is you, and whoever your Boss is!" I countered, refusing to allow this conversation to end on such a cliff-hanger statement. Mitoku remained timid, yet nodded at my statement intently.  
Natasha held her ground abruptly, refusing to move a single step further. Her sudden decision surprised me, simultaneously igniting me with fear. Whatever she was going to say, if she felt the need to _stop _in order to say it, it couldn't be good.

"Look around you. I can assure you, you are _anything _but invisible."

That didn't make sense, not in the slightest. I was _always_ invisible, able to infiltrate any and every corner of public life without being seen! I had done it numerous times, and no one even bathed their eyelid in my direction. It was the one belief I had, the one fact that I was absolutely sure of!  
And yet, as I gazed at the crowd that was beginning to form around us, it became immediately obvious they they were not focusing on our escort, as I had previously thought. No, Natasha was beautiful, but she relatively blended into this company.  
_We _were the anomalies, and it soon became obvious why.  
Our Soulgems.  
I placed mine deep within my pocket, no longer spouting an aura of Black light to the public. Mitoku did the same, catching on to the idea immediately. The people around us grew suspicious, hushed whispers emanating from the crowd.  
They could see us. They could _see us!_

_"_How? " Mitoku breathed, more surprised than even I could comprehend.

I couldn't provide the answer, it's impossibility catching me off guard. Everyone's stares were burning into my memories, and it took just a few seconds more before I realized that despite my dream to finally become noticed, all I felt was a sense of insecurity, fully aware that I couldn't blend in. My clothing could not prevent my monochromatic soul gem from piercing through, and I was beginning to run out of ideas on how to hide it.

"We can stop and chat later. Now we have to go, follow me."

Romanoff moved fluidly beyond the public, forcing us to follow suit, leaving the crowd behind. Their sense of aversion to us, however, stayed with me, refusing to abide.

"They can see us, but we have remained invisible since the dawn of time. We always had! What happened to reverse all of this? " I argued, Mitoku shaking her head in response, unable to summon even a primitive response. Romanoff. She knew more than she was letting on, her opinion curiously absent. Perhaps whoever we were about to meet would help us establish what had happened, if they knew about any of this at all, of course. I was beginning to feel just a little bit nervous, my companion sharing similar feelings, restraining herself as best she could.

Within the terminal, yet more Men and Women moved about, busy with their own agendas. The three of us maneuvered past, hoping not to draw too much attention. We were heading deeper and deeper into the infrastructure, with no visible exit in sight.

"Henry. I've been informed that you could teleport?" Natasha whispered, staring nowhere but straight ahead, continuing her path.

"I can, where would you like to go?"

"Wherever your friend here can track my colleague down." Came her response, and I was beginning to decipher more and more of Mitoku's conversation with whoever we were about to visit. She mentioned my name, and what I could do. What if she also let slip about our secondary powers? It was especially risky to confide such information to anyone, let alone complete strangers!

I sincerely hoped Mitoku knew what she was doing, and to realize how stupid she was if she had led us into a trap.

"I know exactly where he is, I'm being pulled towards him as we speak, I'll need Henry to teleport us there, though."

"That's perfect. Room for one more?" Natasha continued, allowing us a brief glimmer of a smile.

Her thawed expression softened my aversion towards her, but only slightly. This entire predicament was bizzare, to say the least, but I was starting to feel that maybe this was not exclusively a trap, that whoever had sent for us may actually know of what had happened in Oshawa, that night.

" I'll need you both to hold my hands. Mitoku will guide us towards him."

"Perfect."

The terminal offered plenty of quiet spots, away from the public eye, and we immediately made our way to one such location, making our way beyond a series of doors, no one able to witness what was about to happen.

"Anything that we need to know about him, before we're on our way?" I asked, catching Romanoff's subtle change of expressions, before her face remained as passive as stone once more.

"You'll form your own opinion of him in due course, don't you worry about that. Everything that he discusses with you, however, will remain classified. Understood?"

"Completely."

I felt both sets of hands brush against my own, their grips tightening against my fingertips. While Mitoku was well aware of the effects of instantaneous travel, our guide may suffer from the exertion. I had formed enough of an opinion of her to hope she would manage the trip relatively OK. I had never thought I could teleport alongside someone within the greater general population, hopefully there was no significant difference that would hinder our progress.

"Mitoku, get ready to track. Here we go."

The trio of us disappeared, to the surprise of no-one within the Terminal.

* * *

The planet revolved against it's starry backdrop, it's combination of Greens and Blues glistening in all it's primitive glory. The stars twinkled subtly all around it, filling the voids beyond, breaking the black monotony. For the most part, the planet's inhabitants consisted mainly of primitive beings, of many various cultures, languages, and beliefs. Throughout the entire period of research, there were observations of war, disruption, and chaos, nothing to suggest that they could form a collective alliance among themselves, let alone with any other forms of intelligence within the galaxy.

"A curious observation. It appears that we cannot witness the life forms you see within this planet. Your description of these creatures, however, make them the perfect candidate for what we hope to achieve. We are indebted to you for allowing us to have made this discovery."

Thanos observed the curious life-form before him, it's white ears floating within zero-gravity. It approached him, overhearing the confirmation of these 'Humans', as they collectively called themselves. It told of the tales of the universe, and the energy deficit that it was currently experiencing. They were a wondrous find, yet they posed no interest in forming an alliance alongside him, interested only within their own agenda. It meant nothing, however, and as long as the incubator remained out of his way, it was free to perform what ever it wished to do.

"So tell me, the universe is doomed, according to your tales, yet if it was supplied with the energy it needs, it would remain stable, correct?"

"Ever since the origin of these collection of Galaxies, it had been expanding for billions of years, slowing at a proportionate rate. It was 500 million years ago, however, before the Universe had expended it's energy to expand, and is now contracting at a rate of 800,000 meters per second. We have yet to find the perfect source of energy that would dramatically reduce the deficit, yet the 'Humans' may hold the answer. Their varying emotions may hold the key, but it seems we are unable to trace a single individual. We will need your help in order to perform our duties, but there will be a sizable reward for your cooperation."

"What could you possibly have that would benefit me, _Incubator_?"

Thanos outstretched his hand, a cuboid instrument perched within his fingertips.

"I hold the key to your dilemma, one that will forever provide you with the answer that you seek. If you are a creature of your word, then I propose an alternative deal, one that will satisfy both parties."

Kyubey made its way ever closer towards the Titan native, its feline shape full of deception. It's _true_ form lies elsewhere, and it would prove interesting to witness it for himself. Moves upon moves, layers upon layers. Thanos appreciated the Incubator's potential cunning, yet he had to keep one step ahead.

"Curious." It replied, edging ever closer, forever gazing at the planet before him. " We had come across your artifact for ourselves, many millennia ago. We could not ascertain it's purpose, so we discarded it. A mistake, it appears."

" Correct. A shame that you would have to witness it's power under such unfortunate circumstances."

In his hand, the cube began to glow manically, surrounding them in vivid glows of aurora buliaris. The piercing light extended beyond their immediate area, expanding towards the unsuspecting planet.

"What are you planning to do with these individuals? I can feel the cosmic shift changing dramatically! You...you're planning to rewrite the laws of the universe?"

Space faded from view, the sphere's energy replacing it's dark outscape with multicolored traces of energy, twirling and swirling with ever-increasing rates of speed. Thanos turned towards his diminutive ally, allowing himself a moment of respite. He understood, in such a brief space of time, that Incubators were exceptionally cunning, ready to take advantage of any word uttered from an individual. Now, however, it was too late for _any_ action, for_ any_ manipulation.

"Correct again, Incubator. Let's hope that you remain as sharp when you bow before your new ruler."

* * *

We blinked into view, relying on Mitoku's power of tracking whoever she wanted. Masses of Operatives were pooling from multiple doors, as of yet unaware, or unimpressed, with our unorthodox arrival. All around, columns of steel and glass faced us, it's domed structure towering above our heads.  
Natasha, however, seemed to know where she was going, briskly advancing towards a nearby elevator, prompting us to follow. Everyone around us made the same brisk movements, with somewhere to be, from the looks of things.  
Everyone seemed to be tied down with objectives and deadlines. It unsettled me to the core, as far away from my natural surroundings as was possible.  
Our elevator's doors closed, the sense of gravity shifting introduced as we began our descent beneath the building. Mitoku, who had remained silent for most of our ordeal, shifted her weight uncomfortably, hiding her face behind her curtain of hair. She was so enthusiastic about all of this, for the answer to Kazumi's death, and the revenge that could follow from all of this. While I grew into this predicament, my companion appeared to suffer the opposite effect.

"Remember what I said." Romanoff whispered, just as the elevator abruptly stopped, its doors parting seamlessly.

Behind us stood a number of scientists, busy performing whatever duties they were engrossed in, Our appearance had made no significant impact on the rooms occupants, a welcome contrast to the public scrutiny just minutes before. We were gently escorted outside, making our way from the elevator, striding towards the end of what appears to be a complicated laboratory. It's White walls housed a variety of complicated machinery, coupled with equally complicated people, fumbling alongside their contraptions with various states of concentration.  
It was the _next _room, however, that housed the very Person we had hoped to see. I could tell from Mitoku's knowing expression, giving the faintest of nods in his general direction.  
Romanoff made her way towards him, standing in rigid attention by his side. He stood tall and unflinching, as if he had seen a century of supernatural anomalies throughout his service. Scars covered his face, with his right eye covered with a patch, hiding what must have been a horrific injury. Without warning, he made his way towards us, unrepentedly reaching for Mitoku's Soulgem.  
_'No!'  
_It took just a second, not enough time for me to think about my actions, before a Photon Sword flashed into life in my hands, pointing it directly against his neck, refusing to allow him to take one step closer.

"Lower your weapon!"

Natasha had unsheathed her pistol, aiming it directly at my head with emotionless resilience.  
I understood immediately, I had forgotten both Mitoku and this Man had communicated with one another already. My weapon disintegrated in my arms, now raised in apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to anyone communicating with us, other than those like us."

He nodded, accepting my apology immediately, before diverting his attention towards my companion once again.

"You've got quite a useful ability there. This building is intensely classified, as were our locations."

He turned towards me again, smirking in amusement.

"And _you're _the teleporter. It seems that that isn't your _only _ability, is it? You've got something I have never seen before, and _that's _saying something, Kid."

"I'm sorry." Natasha stated, standing between us, visibly agitated. " You asked me to bring them here, I have done so. Are we going to exchange compliments all day, or are we going to tell them just why we had brought them here?"

"Just admiring a guy's talent." he replied with a coy smile, before it faded almost as quickly as it had arrived, replaced with a calculating drive. The few remaining staff surrounding us turned to leave, vacating the premises smoothly, leaving behind an eerie sense of silence.

"My name is Nick Fury." he began, circling us with a sense of patience. "Two years ago, the city of New York was attacked with what was confirmed to have been an extra-terrestrial attack. The _only _thing that had managed to stop this relentless force, were the Avengers."

Fury retrieved a miniature remote, pressing the button displayed on it's casing. Before us, several pictures flashed into life, displaying the heroes of that eventful day. I had seen the images for myself, as well as the propaganda that churned within social media several weeks after.  
Captain America. Thor. Iron-Man. The Hulk. Hawkeye.  
And the Black Widow.  
_'Of course!'  
_Natasha smiled at my revelation, as if she could read my mind, placing her hair before her face playfully. It came completely at odds against the cold, calculated super-spy who held her own alongside super-heroes with every wave of attack.

"Two years after this event has occurred, we find ourselves in a vulnerable position." Fury continued, rubbing his hand against his bald scalp, as if what he was about to say was refusing to escape his lips, requiring an enormous amount of force to do so. "Thor has duties within his home planet, Asgard. Tony Stark, meanwhile, is no longer developing his power suits, destroying every example he has created, unofficially retiring from the initiative."

"Wait."

I could see where this was going. They were looking for more recruits.

"Is there a problem?" Nick asked lightly, placing his arms behind his back, diverting his attention towards me.

"I can see you're looking for someone to fill in the gaps, and I can respect that, but before you go any further, I was told that you knew about what happened to Kazumi, and who it was that killed her. Before we go any further, I would like to know everything."

"Excuse me?" he responded, his forehead lined with surprise. "What are you talking about, Son?"

'_No...She couldn't have. Not to me!'_

I turned to face Mitoku, unable to discern just what had happened. The Magical Girl faced the floor, unable, or unwilling, to meet my stare.

"You...lied to me?"

"I'm sorry Henry. I knew you wouldn't have followed if I didn't tell you that. You don't want to be held down, and yet-"

"And yet _what? _What could have drove you to lie like that? **tell me!"**

Natasha appeared worried, her pistol never truly returned to it's holster. Fury displayed the same emotion, but edged closer towards me, offering his hand.

"Henry. No matter what, we are _not-"_

I disappeared forever more from the building before he had time to finish what he had to say.

* * *

Calm, tranquil waves lapped against the Chinese coast, sharing the same color as the setting sun, blanketing the horizon. I remained the sole occupant within the beach, my head in my hands, crying mercilessly to myself.  
'_She lied to me. All she did was bring back that night. That horrible night.'  
_Kazumi found me when I was born, she would always say, crying within the Hospital ward, my Soulgem invisible among the staff and patients. It was a hazardous scenario. Many new-born Magical Girls and Boys die from starvation, dehydration, or both, with no one around to see them, let alone take them under their wing, to care for them. Kaname was almost 100 years old when she found me, as fresh-faced and powerful as a teenage girl.

_'You can use your magic to reverse the hands of time. In effect, you can live forever.'  
_No one, not even her, understood just why still-born children end up with the incarnation of a Soulgem, yet that was the way the world worked, and that was the world that we would have to grow accustomed to. The thought of one of our kind, those who appeared when their healthy sibling was born, laying in the cold hard ground of the ward, terrified me to my very core. I owed my life to Kazumi Kaname.  
And I was never going to repay her.

"Looks like you could use a little cheering up."

I raised my head, the moisture of my tears long evaporated, and was surprised at what I saw.

"Mami? What are you doing here?"

Mami Tamoe made her way towards me, smiling as giddily as she always had. In her hands rested a trio of teacups, held inside a plastic bag.

"They don't call them _China _cups for nothing, and I needed a little time with myself, away from the City, but wanted to go somewhere more exotic. I _could, _however, ask you the same question. "

"Not much, I'm afraid, just trying to get over someone who lied to me."

Mami's face softened, just a little, kneeling alongside me, catching a glance at the setting sun before us.

"I'm sure that whatever they had lied about, they didn't mean any ill-will against it. I may not know the details, but I know enough of your personality to guess that you're not angry with them. You would be shouting at the top of your lungs, otherwise."

"Oh, you weren't here when I was shouting at the top of my lungs." I responded, smiling faintly to myself, glancing at my feet.

Mami giggled, barely audible against the ever-increasing velocity of the waves.

"Well, just give the whole situation time. I bet you will feel drastically different about the whole thing that you do right now. Will you do that, for me?"

It was hard to argue against Tamoe's impeccably sweet voice, and I once again resigned to her convincing opinion, like I always was.

"You're right. You always are. Thank you, you know what a Guy likes to hear."

"No problem! If only _other _guys would like what I have to say."

We burst into laughter, even if my own gesture proved to be a little bit forced, for her benefit. It would take a heart of stone, however, not to feel better from her motivating speeches, and I was silently glad that I had come across the powerful Magical Girl, in China, of all places!

"Mami? Would you mind if I stopped by at your place for a cup of tea?"

Tamoe's eyes widened at the prospect, leading to the theory that this scenario does not arise very often within her household.

"But of _course! _Although I require a lift back to my place, if you would be so kind?"

I held her hands, making sure my fingers wrapped themselves around the visible fingers, the rest of her hands hidden by silk gloves.

"That's not a problem. Hold on tight."


	3. Chapter 3 - What have you done?

It was done.  
The Cube held in Thano's hand contained more power than almost any other artifact he cared to mention, it's reality-altering aura spreading to the far corners of the Universe, re-writing it's rules. It was extremely dangerous, easily capable of ending any and every signs of life in the wrong hands. It's use was best sampled in small , contemporary doses, and the Titan native smiled with relish, despite years of holding back his emotion within an iron-grip mask.  
The planet below, as well as it's occupants, will not be aware of the monumental changes that had been made, nor will they need to. What mattered was that it's only line of defense, one that even the 'Humans' were not aware of, had been stripped away, ceasing to exist.  
Their resistance to the Incubators.

"Amazing! I can see so clearly now."

Kyubey averted his attention towards the Planet, it's eyes sparkling in a new-found sense of astonishment and glee.

"So _many _of them, so many to choose, the _energy _their emotions can create!"

Thano's ignored his acquaintance's positive deliberation, instead following his gaze, staring into one particular land rift. It was densely populated in a select few areas, while others were scattered throughout the region, of no real use.  
Yes. For the Incubator to remain _truly _effective, it would need to target those regions where many resided, spreading their influences from there. The 'Humans' had always puzzled him, inflicting wars and ruin among themselves with the slightest hint of agitation. What they needed was an individual, one who could rule with an iron fist, ending their little squabble.  
And Thanos predicted, with satisfaction, that there were no other individual better equipped to rule over these specimens than himself.

"Kyubey. Do what your heart desires. I no longer have any use for you."

* * *

He left. He just...left.  
What was I thinking? Of _course _he left! I had tricked him to coming here, saying _her _name, the one person who raised us, now gone.  
I was horrible...I _am _horrible!  
Natasha lowered her weapon, returning it to it's holster, breathing a sigh of relief. Nick remained where he was, closing his eyes at the scenario that had just unfolded.

"What did you say to him that would make him leave like that?"

I really didn't want to think about the answer, let alone utter it to anyone else.

"Mitoku.."

Romanoff placed her hand on my shoulder, strangely calming and threatening at the same time, yet I chose to side with the 'comfort' aspect. I wasn't used to anyone interacting with me in general, let alone this.

"How can you _see _me?" I asked timidly, finding it difficult to summon the courage to speak, now that Henry had, literally, vanished. "We were invisible to you, for so long. I had spent years trying to communicate with someone, _anyone, _and then, all of a sudden, I can!... I don't understand, though."

Nick smiled, turning his back towards both me and his colleague, observing a vast number of people constructing numerous different machines, each with a purpose unknown to me.

"While I personally cannot explain the answer you are looking for, I had commissioned the Scientist who _can."_

Nick made his way to the other side of the room, Romanoff in hot pursuit. I followed, unwilling to be left alone in this inhospitable complex. All around me, various different Men and Women, normally concentrated in their complex work, turned to face me, interested. Waves of self-consciousness washed over me, and I had to remind myself that they were gazing towards my Soulgem, and not to me in particular. Even now, buried underneath my clothing, the rays that emanated from it had already penetrated my Jumper's fabric, giving the illusion that it originated from within me.  
I severely wished I could somehow manage to keep it hidden, but there was nothing I could do, for the moment.  
All three of us left the scientific complexity of the room behind, replacing it with something far more luxurious. Contemporary chairs and sofas dotted this comparatively smaller room, their bursts of color breaking the otherwise - monotonous walls.

"Mitoku, I would like to introduce you, to Eric Banner."

Nick's statement was lost on me, as I had already averted my attention to the lone Scientist within this room, busy dissecting what appeared to be a mechanical arm. He turned to face me, catching his name being uttered, and collectively took a step back, his focus delivered on nothing but me.

"_Amazing!_ I thought it would take a while to determine the precise number of electro-magnetic atoms that we had picked up on before, but it seems my first attempt proved successful! 'Mitoku', I believe?"

"Eric Banner is the chief Scientist within S.H.I.E.L.D." Natasha explained, providing the context I had badly needed. "He's the reason why you are visible to us right now, but I think I will leave it to him to explain how he did it."

"I _could _attempt to explain it, Mitoku, do you have a grasp on the on-goings of modern atomical physics?"

I couldn't say that I have, nor did I have the desire to know how he had managed to do so in select detail. What was important was that I knew _who _had managed to do this, the 'how' no longer mattered.

'You may know Banner here more clearly as 'The Hulk.'" Natasha explained further, making her way towards him as she said so, observing his work. "He managed to pick up on an atomical silhouette on Infra-Red, around the time of the extra-terrestrial attack on the city. Now we know that this could very well have been a member of your race, Mitoku, it could have been _you, _for all we know!"

"I severely doubt that. I normally reside in Japan." I replied, her statement of this guy being the 'Hulk' not lost on me. I had seen the public videos, the amateur footage. The Hulk was a monster, easily capable to decimating a city with it's own two hands.  
The irony of this beast wrapped within the calm person before me was not lost to me, either.  
I understood why I was here, of course. I had been told of what Nick, and the S.H.I.E.L.D in general, needed so badly.  
But I had failed to bring Henry along with me, at least, I had failed to _keep _him here.

"I'm sorry I couldn't do it." I whispered, knowing that Nick could hear. The Man sighed, closing his one visible eye.

"You didn't need to lie to him. If you had told me what you were planning to do, I would have sided against that. That's the problem with lies, it plants seeds of distrust once the person finds out. We may never be able to convince him to join us now, but that's fine, Mitoku. There are many more of your race, right?"

"Of course. I don't know how many of them would be willing to join the Avengers Initiative alongside me, but there will be definitely enough to fill in the gaps."

I was surprisingly confident, talking to the collective group before me, my timidness momentarily forgotten. I needed this, more than anything else in the world. The chance to be _seen, _the chance to be part of something much bigger, to put my powers to _use!_

"Thank you, so much, for agreeing to do this." Romanoff continued, allowing me a faint glimmer of a smile. "I would like to go with you, to find more of your kind, if that's ok?"

"Of course! The more the merrier."

* * *

"Would you like some Tiramarsiu, Henry?"

"I would, thank you."

Mitakihara Town was beautiful, especially from such an elevated position. Mami's Apartment had everything a person could ever dream of. And more. The Japanese City was buzzing with activity, it's sights and sounds audible and visible even from here. Before me, a vast number of cakes and treats unfolded, just waiting to be eaten.

"When did you become such a connoisseur, Miss Tamoe?"

That prompted a positive reaction, my long-time Friend giggling in response.

"Ever since I was small, really. I remember visiting a sweet shop in town, and was just instantly entranced with what was on offer! I promised myself I would replicate their recipe one day, but as of yet, I'm afraid I haven't quite gotten it right yet."

I placed a miniature slice in my mouth, and was instantly greeted with twin feelings of surprise and elation. The Tiamarsiu was delicious, sweet and light at the same time.

"You could have fooled me! This is incredible!"

"Your too kind, you know."

The sun was beginning it's slow descent towards the horizon, touching the very tallest of Skyscrapers. It felt nice, to be in the company of a friend again. It had been far too long since I had last returned to this little corner of Japan.

"So you want to tell me exactly what had happened?" she asked, a hint of reserve creeping into her tone. Mami was nothing if not polite, and I sighed, knowing she would not pressure me into anything, if I didn't feel the need to talk about it.  
But _this _time, I wanted to talk, to explain, to tell her about my predicament!

"I was tricked into tagging along with a close Friend of mine, she told me she knew someone who could explain what happened to..."

"Oh! Was that the lie you were talking about?"

"Yes."

Mami's face softened, just a little, her eyes focused on her portion of desert.

"I'm, I'm terribly sorry that had to happen to you, Henry. I had no idea that was what you were talking about before."

"It's fine, _you _weren't the person who lied to me."

That was something I would have never expected Mitoku of doing, and despite myself, I found it difficult to even consider forgiving her right now. I was angry, it had just taken until now to realize the growing resentment burning inside me.  
But despite all of this, she was my closest companion. Despite what she had done, was it truly worth it to judge her forever?  
Right now, I had my doubts.

"I know she told that lie to get me to be a part of something." I continued, delicately trying not to give the game away to Miss Tamoe. Despite my resentment, I had to appreciate that wherever I was, and who was running it, remained top-secret. "I know I should forgive her, but what she had told me...it gave me hope, a chance for closure. I didn't realize how illusionary that was. I'm sorry, Mami. I didn't mean to bring the atmosphere down."

"That's perfectly alright! I'm here if you need anyone to talk to, about _anything, _I promise."

"Thanks."

Dessert was finished in twenty minutes, and I couldn't picture another time where I was more satisfied with what I ate. My friend was an admirable dessert chef, and no wonder. When one has all the time in the world, there's so many opportunities that they could branch out in.

"Would you like some tea?" Mami asked, rising to her feet, proceeding inside her kitchen before I could muster a response.

"Yes! I would like that very much, please!"

The sound of boiling water soon filtered into my ears, subliminally telling me my friend would have poured me a hot beverage anyway, regardless of my opinion.  
Without warning, the sound of shattering escaped from the kitchen, stunning me into action. A phantom sword was summoned instantly, and I dashed towards the kitchen, ready to see if anything was wrong with Mami.  
There wasn't.  
Instead, a small, feline creature stared collectively into her eyes, before averting it's gaze towards me, signalling me as the bigger threat, perhaps. It's red eyes were over-sized, never-blinking, making me feel uncomfortable the longer I stared into them. It's ears were decorated with miniature ringlets, and yet, there was no visible clue as to how they were suspended in the air.  
Right on cue, Mami summoned a weapon, her favored musket, pointing it squarely across the creature's face, right between the eyes.

"I don't know what you are, but you are going to leave this place. _Now."_

It appeared to ignore her completely, it's attention focused on nothing but me, delicately leaping from the window, landing on it's four feet. It made it's way towards me, it's expression almost as if it were...smiling.  
A single round was enough to puncture it's skull, it's body collapsing to the ground in an instant.  
Smoke radiated from the barrel of the gun, before Mami allowed it to dissipate into nothing but air, the weapon of no more use. Cautiously, she knelt towards the body, fear and curiosity playing with her expression.

"What...what _is _this thing?"

I couldn't provide the answer, only able to stop and stare as Mami reached for the body, holding it in her arms, examining it.

"I really wouldn't do that if I were you."

That voice! It had come from _nowhere, _yet it was distantly familiar, as if I had heard it in a dream of mine, a long time ago. Mami picked up on the same voice, darting from place to place, hoping to find it's source.

"Where are you? Show yourself!"

"With pleasure."

In an instant, _another _of the mysterious animals leaped against the window's perch, landing on the kitchen floor, as it's predecessor had just minutes before.

"I have several hundred copies of this body, but I do not appreciate them going to waste because of your primitive fear. There's really no real use to repeatedly kill me, either. I have an important statement that I would like to tell you."

This thing could _talk?_

I stepped back involuntarily, summoning _another _photon sword to join it's sister on my opposite hand. I placed myself in a defensive stance, my weapons drawn in an 'X' formation.

"_What _statement?" I asked, ready to strike within a moment's notice. I really couldn't care less about this fanatical creature's rants. I would kill it over and over again if need be, until it decided it was unable to deliver what it wanted to us. " We want nothing to do with you! Get out of here!"

"It's funny, Humans. You do not know what I can offer you, and yet you still persist that I mean to deliver harm. How about you listen to my preposition before you blindly decide based on your emotions?"

Mami back-stepped towards me, her newly-summoned weapons brought to bare. She was afraid, I could tell in the way her Muskets shook in response to her hands, her legs trembling slightly. None of this would have mattered in a confrontation, however. Regardless of her state of mind, Mami was a surgeon with her weapons, especially at close-range.

"And what if we refuse to listen to your 'Preposition'?" she asked defiantly, gathering more and more confidence with every passing second. I allowed her more room to maneuver within this room, side-stepping to the other end of the kitchen, not daring to take my eyes of this _thing _for a second.

"Why, you really have no choice in that manner." It explained, moving ever closer towards us, much quicker than it did last time!

Out of nowhere, I sliced my weapon, taking the creature's head off instantly. No blood was split, much to my surprise, as the corpse joined it's brother on the ground, each of their faces remaining as terrifying as ever, still gazing into nowhere.

"Humans. It seems that direct communication is lost on your primitive brains."

I couldn't grasp just where these Incubators were coming from, yet another joined it's former bodies before us, standing exactly where it was before.

"Perhaps if I introduce myself, things will clear up more. I am Kyubey, and I come here not looking for ill will, but to tell you about the coming demise of the universe."

The demise of the Universe? Despite it's blatant lie, I couldn't help but feel myself drawn into it's argument.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself. How do you _know _about this?"

Kyubey advanced towards me once again, just as it had before, but I allowed it to approach me, despite every bone in my body pleading with me not to. Mami raised her musket, pointing in the direction of the creature, yet dared not to pull the trigger, simply providing a last-resort function in case I was attacked.

"You see, ever since the origin of this Universe, created from the Big Bang, it has been expanding for billions upon billions of years, covering the size of this Milky Way every second! However, this expansion had slowed in the past 500 million years, and has since stopped only 700 years ago. We have come to discover that it is now _contracting _at the same speed it had developed all those years ago, and vast civilizations and worlds have already been decimated, vanishing from existence. What I am proposing to you is simple, one that can restore the energy need to expand the Universe once more, and requires minimum effort on your part."

"Explain _further. What _is it that you want from us?" I shouted, my patience wearing thin.

"We will grant you one wish, anything that you desire, we have the power to make it happen. You can become the richest person in the world, you can discover the greatest of mysteries, bring anyone back from the dead!"

"Wait...you can bring someone back...from the dead?"

"Henry don't listen to it!" Mami pleaded, tugging my arm with her hand.

I had to, of _course _I had to! Kazumi! She could be here, right now!  
This was simply too much for me to ignore, It was something I simply could _not _turn down.

"Do you mean it...You're not joking?"

"Of course not. We will deliver any wish you ask for. All that we ask in return is for you to join us, to rid the world of all the negative emotions that exist among this planet. While we would request you to fight these incarnations at any time they show up, we believe that this is a small price to pay for what we grant you, don't you agree, Human?"

Mami stepped between me and it, squeezing my arms with her own, furiously shaking em.

"It's a lie, Henry! It's trying to _trick _you!"

"I can't turn this _down, _Mami. I will finally be happy, this shadow that was cast over me will disappear! I'm sorry, but this is something that I need to do!"

I faced Kyubey with tear-filled eyes, now forming a different opinion of the creature, one that could perform miracles!  
If this worked...

"I wish Kazumi Kaname was brought back from the dead!"

"As you wish."

Mami struggled to reach my side, about to pull me away from the room, when an explosion of light ricocheted into life, it's blinding force forcing me to shield my eyes. I was unable to see, to hear, to _feel! _Where was Mami? Where was this Incubator? All alone, I was surrounded in nothing but White, dazzling but lonely. As soon as the energy began, however, it faded from view, delivering me among familiar surroundings once more.  
Mami stared before her with awe-filled eyes, suspended in disbelief.  
The reason why opened her eyes, as crystal-clear as I had remembered them. Kazumi rose to her feet, her hair glistening against the fading sunlight, almost as if it were sparkling.  
Kyubey averted it's attention towards Mami, it's never-blinking eyes full of satisfaction.

"Now you see that what I can do is no joke. I will remain here until you too decide to join your companion, and receive the biggest wish from your wildest dreams!"

I refused to pay any more attention towards that conversation, as I dashed towards Kazumi, hugging her as tightly as I could!  
What I did not expect, however, came from her whisper, her lips just centimeters from my ear, her question piercing the aura I had been placed under.

"Henry...What have you _done?"_


End file.
